A kind of magic

Providing a completely new and fresh way of understanding the ANC by looking at the way the organization has marketed itself and built up a distinctive brand, this book explores the development of the its political marketing strategy from 1955 to 2011. The concern is not so much with politics as with publicity, promotion, and propaganda—that is, with the techniques of political persuasion. The author argues that marketing has enjoyed a central significance within the ANC for a long time, and provides important insights into the strategy and decision-making process of the organization at critical phases of its existence, right up to the election campaign of 2009 and the Mangaung conference. The book rethinks the politics of the ANC and the future of its position at the center of South African political life.